United News of Bangladesh

The Appellate Division on Monday stayed the High Court verdict that had sentenced BNP chairperson Khaldeda Zia to 10-year jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust case. A three-member Appellate Division bench led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam passed the order after hearing Khaleda’s leave to appeal petition against the High Court verdict. The court also allowed Khaleda to move a leave-to appeal before the court challenging the HC verdict. Senior lawyers Joynul Abedin and Barrister Kaisar Kamal stood for Khaleda Zia while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman represented the state and lawyer Asif Hasan stood for the Anti-Corruption Commission. Lawyer Joynul Abedin said the court granted the leave to appeal petition and suspended the sentence. “Now after filing the appeal, the appeal will be heard. Until then, the sentence will remain suspended. Earlier on November 4, the court set November 10 for hearing on her leave to appeal pleas. After hearing, the court fixed November 11 for passing an order. Khaleda, also a former prime minister, filed the leave to appeal petitions with the Appellate Division on March 14, 2019 through his lawyer challenging the HC verdict. Read: High Court scraps 11 cases against Khaleda Zia Khaleda Zia was initially imprisoned on 8 February 2018, when a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years in prison for her involvement in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft incident. Later, in response to an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the High Court on  October 30 of the same year, raised her jail term to 10 years. The graft case The Zia Orphanage Trust graft case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2008, accusing Khaleda of misappropriating over Tk2.10 crore that was received as grants for orphans via a foreign bank. In August 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing four people, including Khaleda, of raising funds for the trust from unknown sources and abusing power. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order by suspending her sentence on 25 March 2020, with the condition that she would stay at her Gulshan house and not leave the country. Read more: Khaleda Zia, two others acquitted in Gatco corruption case Since then, her release term was extended every six months following the family's pleas. On August 6 this year, Khaleda Zia was completely freed by an order of President Mohammed Shahabuddin. The president passed the order under Article 49 of the Bangladesh Constitution, according to a gazette issued by the home ministry on August 6.

Workers of TNZ garment factory in Gazipur have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for the 3rd consecutive day, demanding payment of their arrears. The workers who took to the highway on Saturday continued their demonstration on Monday morning, leading to severe traffic congestion and creating immense hardships for commuters. The workers were demanding the payment of their three months’ overdue wages and vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met. Due to the protest, at least 20 garment factories in the surrounding area declared a holiday to avert trouble. Gazipur Metropolitan Police, industrial police, and army personnel were trying to remove the workers from the highway but they remained firm in their stance and were staying on the road. Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Sarwar Alam said efforts were being made to communicate with the factory owners to resolve the issue. He also said the workers were urged to leave the highway with hopes of resolving the matter by the end of the day.

Unidentified men gunned down a Rohingya youth at a camp in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar, said police on Monday. The attack occurred on Sunday night. The deceased was Mohammad Jubayer, 28, son of Mohammad Amin of C-5 Block at Nayapara registered Rohingya camp in Hnilla union under the upazila. Quoting locals, Teknaf model police station’s Officer-in-Charge Gias Uddin said the criminals opened fire on Jubayer when he was chatting with neighbours nearby his residence around 8pm. The gunmen fired desperately when locals were trying to resist them, he said. The injured youth was rushed to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex where physicians declared him dead upon arrival, the OC said. The attackers could not be identified immediately, he said, adding that dispute over establishing dominance among rival groups might have led to the killing.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul has announced that the government will issue a red notice through Interpol to bring all the fugitives, including Sheikh Hasina, to trial. The adviser said this while speaking to reporters on Sunday after inspecting the renovation work at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). He said the government is committed to taking all necessary measures to repatriate fugitive accused, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with the July-August mass killing case, which has been filed at the ICT. Read: ICT case against Shahidul Alam: HC suspends investigation “Red notices will be issued swiftly through Interpol,” he said, adding that fugitive fascist elements, regardless of where they may be in the world, will be held and brought to justice. He assured that the government would put it maximum effort to ensure these people are returned to face trial.

Demonstrators from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Sunday gathered at the Zero Point area in the capital's Gulistan shouting slogans to resist "fascist Awami League." The protesters started pouring into the area, also known as Noor Hossain Square, from early morning to demand that the AL which has recently been ousted from power is tried for mass killings during the July-August movement. The demonstration came after Awami League in its Facebook page announced a plan to hold a rally in the area at 3 pm to mark the Noor Hossain Day with a call to "restore democracy." Border Guard Bangladesh troops have been deployed in the areas surrounding AL's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue and Zero Point near the Bangladesh Secretariat in addition to police and Rapid Action Battalion amid tightened security. In front of the Awami League office, police were seen beating away some people on suspicion that they might belong to AL. A police officer on duty here said, "Several suspected individuals have been detained. However, the exact number cannot be confirmed." This UNB correspondent on a visit to the scene on Sunday morning saw students from various universities have taken up positions at the Zero Point since 11 a.m. They chanted various slogans such as "In my golden Bengal, there's no place for fascism," "Grab every League, cut them down one by one," "We’ve shed blood, we’ll shed more blood," and "We want justice, justice!" One of the students identified as Naimur, “The party and government that have taken fascism to its extreme in this country, those who have killed my brothers and sisters, deserve no mercy. We do not want any League, and that’s why we are here today.” The protestors continued to hold their ground, demanding justice and an end to what they describe as the growing fascist tendencies within the country’s political landscape. No violence has so far been reported. On this day (November 10), 1987 Noor Hossain, a Jubo League activist, was killed by police during a demonstration against the autocratic rule of Ershad. On his chest and back he wore slogans "Down with autocracy" and "Let democracy be freed."

The authorities have deployed 191 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh across the country to maintain law and order centering the observance of Shaheed Noor Hossain Day. A message sent from the BGB headquarters in Dhaka said this on Sunday morning. Alongside the BGB, members of police, Rapid Action Battalion, and other forces have been kept vigilant across the country. Tension has mounted after the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a rally to counter programmes announced by Awami League marking the Shaheed Noor Hossain Day at Zero Point in Dhaka's Gulistan. On Saturday, the AL on its verified Facebook page announced to observe the Noor Hossain Day and urged party men to come to the Zero Point.

Police have arrested 10 people from different parts of the city on charge of trying to harm relations between Bangladesh and the United States. The raids came after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently urged her Awami League leaders and activists to hold processions carrying the US flag and photos of US president-elect Donald Trump. Hasina has been living in India since a student-led mass upsurge ousted her government on August 5 ending her 15-year rule. Authorities said Hasina's directive in a telephone call is part of a conspiracy to destabilise the country and hurt Dhaka-Washington relations. In a statement Dhaka Metropolitan Police said the raids were conducted on Saturday night following intelligence reports and arrested the men for their alleged involvment in the conspiracy. During the operation, a large number of provocative posters, images, placards, and cash were seized from their possession, said the statement. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police remains vigilant in thwarting any plots against the state. Operations to arrest the instigators, financiers, and all those involved in these criminal activities are ongoing, according to the statement.

The body of six-year-old Muntaha, who went missing from her house on November 3, was recovered from a pond in Sylhet’s Kanaighat upazila early Sunday, said police. Muntaha Aktar Jerin was daughter of Shamim Ahmed of Bharafoud village under Birdal union of Kanaighat upazila. Kanaighat police station’s Officer-in-Charge Md Abdul Awal confirmed that the body was retrieved from the pond near her house around 4am. There were marks of injuries in the body and her throat was tied with ropes, he said, suspecting that the body was thrown into the pond after she had been murdered. The victim’s father alleged that Muntaha was abducted in a planned way while they lodged a general diary with the police station in this regard. Muntaha had been misding since November 3, the day she went out in the afternoon to play with other children. Despite searches through the area family members failed to trace her. The family also took to the social media seeking public help to find the girl. They announced a bounty of Tk 100, 000 for anyone who finds her.

On the occasion of Noor Hossain Day, several political organisations including the National Democratic Front of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Workers Federation, Left Democratic Alliance, and Socialist Students' Front, have paid tributes to the martyr. The leaders and activists of the parties gathered at Noor Hossain Square (Zero Point) in Gulistan on Saturday evening and placed wreaths there. Noor Hossain, a political activist, was killed by police on November 10 in 1987 during a pro-democracy movement against autocratic ruler HM Ershad. Read: Shaheed Noor Hossain Day Thursday After paying respect on Saturday, activist Dipak Sen said "We want a democratic state. There was no democracy under the previous government, and there is still no democracy today. We believed that the new government would focus on establishing democracy, but that has not happened." Mahin Shahriar, another participant, said "We observe this day every year with our programme, and we will continue to do so." In response to a question about the previous government's downfall and their role, Mahin stated, "The blood that was shed in the people's uprising for freedom is still on their hands. There is no space for the Awami League government in Bangladeshi politics anymore. If they attempt to return to politics, the people will certainly try to stop them. We, too, will organise programmes to resist them. If anyone tries to restore an authoritarian regime, we will build the same resistance as before." Meanwhile, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement said it will hold a public rally at the Zero Point at 12 pm on Sunday. Tension mounted in the area since Saturday after the Awami League in a Facebook post urged its members to gather there at 3 pm on Sunday to pay respect to Noor Hossain. Security measures have been tightened in and around the area.

Former ministers Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, and Junaid Ahmed Palak have been sent to jail after completion of remand in connection with the murder of one Imon Hossain Gazi. Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Muhammad Jonayed sent them to jail on Saturday. The court ordered their imprisonment following the submission of an application by the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Mahabul Islam of Jatrabari Police Station. The trio had been in remand since November 2, with the court granting a seven-day period for further questioning. Rashed Khan Menon was arrested on August 22 from the Gulshan area, while Inu was apprehended on August 26 from a residence in Uttara by a Detective Branch (DB) team. Palak was arrested earlier, on August 14, from the Nikunja residential area in Khilkhet after being on the run. The murder case stems from the death of Imon Hossain Gazi, who was shot during an anti-discrimination protest on Chittagong Road in the Jatrabari area on August 5. His brother, Anwar Hossain, filed the case on August 28, naming 85 individuals, and implicating the accused in connection with the fatal shooting.